In Innsbruck, the Premonstratensians (or Norbertines) of Wilten have an unusual set-up: they live in their Stift or monastery and also take care of a large Marian shrine only a stone’s throw away, the Basilika Wilten. Wilten enjoys the privilege of being the oldest parish in this part of the country, the “mother parish.” The cherished image of Our Lady has attracted pilgrims since the Middle Ages. Today’s Rococo church (1751-1755) is the most important accomplishment of the Tyrolean priest-architect Franz de Paula Penz. In 1957, Pope Pius XII elevated the church to the status of a minor basilica.
(Peaking out on the right side is part of the structure of the Norbertine monastery itself.) This basilica is dedicated to “Our Lady Under the Four Pillars,” for reasons that are clear when we look inside at the sanctuary:
Inevitably, the elevated pulpit, which I love so much, and whose utter neglect is like a silent reproach to all of Europe:
